A handful of war protesters marred a Maine college graduation speech about world community by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Blair spoke to 470 Colby College graduates and their guests Sunday morning at the college's 191st commencement in Waterville.

Police said the protesters shouted phrases such as "warmonger" and "war criminal" during Blair's speech. One person, 53-year-old Lawrence Reichard of Bangor was arrested.

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Police said Reichard continued yelling and disrupting the proceedings after being asked to stop.

Reichard was transported to the Waterville Police Station, processed and released. He will appear in Waterville District Court in August.

In his address, Blair appealed for international cooperation and for people to try to understand other cultures.

The 59-year-old Blair, the Labor Party's longest-serving prime minister, served from 1997 to 2007. Since then, he has served as the envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East, representing the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations in working with Palestinians to prepare for statehood.

Blair is one of the most prominent global leaders to speak at Colby's commencement since former President George H.W. Bush did so in 1994.